My Top 3 Books of 2020 | Blogmas Day 22

When thinking back over my favourite books that I’ve read this year, I found it really hard to choose a top three. The unprecedented lockdown this year meant I read more than I have in the last few years put together. I read a whole range of books, from romance to murder mystery, a collection of feminist essays to an autobiography of a forensic pathologist.

I had a sit down in front of my bookcase (I actually do this a lot. I like to look at all the books I’ve read and remember the stories… anyone else?) and looked through the books this year to try to decide on my favourites. It was so hard as I’ve read so many good books but I think I’ve whittled it down to my top three!

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

You can read my full review here.

This was 100% the most gripping book I read this year. A thriller through and through, The Family Upstairs is well worth the read if you’re into psychological mysteries. I found the characters compelling and the plot intense and addictive. The ending, specifically some of the revelations in the last chapter, still haunt me to this day. I remember it often and wonder what happened to the characters after the book ended.

The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary

You can read my full review here.

As you can see from my other choices, I read quite a few heavy books this year, and The Flatshare is quite the opposite. However, I read it in the height of the first lockdown and I think it was just what I needed. The characters of Tiffy and Leon were lovable, the story was interesting and vivid, and it provided such a beautiful feeling of escapism that I really needed. It also cemented Beth O’Leary as one of my favourite authors and I’ve added her to my auto-buy list.

Unnatural Causes by Dr Richard Shepherd

You can read my full review here.

If you’d have told me last year that I would have even given this book a second glance I wouldn’t have believed you. Adam Kay’s This Is Going to Hurt is what got me into medical based books and as I bought that one, Amazon recommended Unnatural Causes to me. Dr Richard Shepherd recounts his life as a forensic pathologist, including many of the infamous cases he was involved in. I learnt so much from this book that I don’t think I’ll ever forget. I remember much of it often and have recommended the book to almost everyone I know. I’d say this one had the most lasting impact on me this year.

I’m so excited for the stories I’ll read and worlds I’ll escape to next year. I’ve got such a long to be read list that I can’t see how I’m ever going to get through them all, but I’m really looking forward to spending time reading.

What are your favourite books of this year? Any I should add to my ever-growing to be read list?